Joe Mendoza: His cause 'is still alive'

Joe Mendoza of Westminster served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, and was killed in action. This photo was taken in 1951, soon after he entered the Army. He was about 21 when this photo was taken. COURTESY OF FRANK MENDOZA

Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated Sept. 15-Oct. 15. To commemorate the period, The Register asked readers to tell stories of the Korean War veterans in their families, 60 years after an armistice was declared.

Some 148,000 Latinos served during the conflict, among nearly 1.8 million service members called to duty.

Of the 36,574 men who gave their lives, 2,721 were Latinos. Of the 55 Orange County men who were killed in action during the war, 17 were Latinos, according to O.C.-based Latino Advocates for Education.

Joseph "Joe" Mendoza

The Korean War has often been called the Forgotten War but that designation is a terrible misnomer. In my family and in all families of service personnel who were killed in action, maimed, wounded, or who were POWS, that particular war is instead the “Unforgotten War.”

My brother Joe was one of the 55 from Orange County (Westminster) who were killed in action in Korea.

Joe was the fourth of ten born to Juan and Jesus Mendoza in Westminster on July 17, 1929. Mom and dad immigrated from the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico to California -- she in 1912 and he in 1909 - where they met and were married.

As a proud American of Mexican descent Joe went to war – along with his fellow-Americans of that generation -- strongly believing in the cause that his country had embarked upon; namely to stop the spread of Communism in that part of the world.

Joe – “Chepe” to his family and friends – entered the Army in January 1951 and took the majority of his training at Camp Roberts near San Luis Obispo. After completing his training, Joe shipped out headed for Japan in July 1951, arriving at Yokohama in August after a couple of weeks voyage. His unit didn’t have time to see much of Japan for they were shipped right to Korea, disembarking at Inchon a few days later.

Shortly after arriving in Korea, Joe was assigned to his eventual permanent outfit, the 24th Division, 19th Regiment, “G” Company. That year’s Chinese spring offensive kept Joe’s band of brothers on the front lines and on the alert almost continuously until it ended – for my brother – on October 25, 1951 when he was seriously wounded in a battle on a hill in North Korea.

Two of his buddies, Ron Sanchez and Bob Richison, carried him down the hill to the aid station from where he was eventually taken to the field hospital where he died of massive wounds to his chest on Nov. 1, 1951. I have had the privilege of making contact with Bob Richison and have learned of my brother’s last known words. When hit, Joe managed to ask Bob, “What’s on my face, Rich?” Rich and Ron, without letting on that it was really blood, told him, “Oh, it’s just mud.”

Joe graduated from the Westminster “Mexican” school - Hoover - in 1945 and attended Huntington Beach High School where, besides his academic courses, he enjoyed taking auto shop, wood shop, and played on the Oiler 1950 football team. He was a happy-go-lucky, good-looking guy who was the jokester in our family, keeping us all laughing.

He was the one whom our dad trusted to do the various chores, which included milking our cow. He also took care of the chickens and hogs, helping dad after our older brother, Socorro, joined the Navy in 1945. In short, to Joe fell the responsibility to be dad’s right hand man until Uncle Sam called in January 1951.

For me and for the rest of our family, Nov. 9, 1951 will stand as the saddest day of our lives - the day that Mom and Dad received the notice of Joe’s death.

To our family though, Joe did not die in vain because today when we see the vibrant, free society that is South Korea in contrast to the failed society of the North, the free world did indeed stop the spread of Communism at that place and at that time.

The cause that Joe’s generation embarked on in June 1950 is still alive 63 years later.

Related Links

Joe Mendoza of Westminster served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, and was killed in action. This photo was taken in 1951, soon after he entered the Army. He was about 21 when this photo was taken. COURTESY OF FRANK MENDOZA
Frank Mendoza, 77, of Anaheim wrote about his brother Joe, who was killed in action during the Korean War. He's shown here at an Olive Street reunion in Westminster in 2011. ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, RON GONZALES
Pictured are Dianne and Frank Mendoza of Anaheim. Frank Mendoza wrote about his brother Joe Mendoza, who grew up in Westminster and was killed in action in the Korean War The story was part of a series for Hispanic Heritage Month 2013. COURTESY OF DIANNE MENDOZA

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